Phens



(No Model) G. H. STEPHENS.

BOOT TREE. No. 510,654.

Patented Deo. 12, 1893. I

NiTE STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.I

GEORGE HENRY STEPHENS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SFECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 510,654, datedDecember 12, 1893.

Application filed June 17, 1893.

-Trees,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to boot-trees of the kind described in t-hespecification of former Letters Patent granted to me February 2, 1892,No. 468,006. The tree described in my former patent was only shown asadapted for stretching the golosh portions of boots or` shoes.

The chief object of, ny present invention is to show how the tree can beadapted for stretching the portions of a boot or shoe above the golosh.o f

In the accompanying drawings, Figures l and 2 are a plan and a Sectionalelevation respectively of a tree constructed according to niy invention,adapted to stretch' the upper as well as the golosh portion of a boot.Fig. 3 is a Sectional elevation showing how this tree is applied. Fig. 4is an elevation showing a slight modification which I sometimes employin connection with trees for stretching button boots. p

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in the severalfigures.

o and b are respectively the toe and heel parts of my boot trees and fis the portion for stretching the upper or leg portionjof boots orshoes. The part f is provided with or rigidlysecuredto a narrowedportion which .I term the link c, to which are pivotally connected thetoe and heel portions a and b, by pins ol' and d respectively. Theheeland toe parts a andb have their adjacent faces parallel and inclinedforwardly so that the tree may be inserted in the boot or shoe in themanner illustratedin Fig. 3, and then by depressing the part'f the toeportion o will be forced forward and the heel portion b will be forcedrearward by means of the link connection between the parts ,until thetree assumes the position shown in Fig.'2 when the points of pivoting cZd' will be substantially in a horizontal plane, parallel with the soleof the shoe, and the adjacent faces of the toe and heel portions a and bwill be brought into contact and take the strain off of the pivots.

serial NO. timro. (no modem shoulders]ex fx at each side of the link orrearward portion c which engage the upper .faces of the toe and heelportions when the tree is in this position. The partfit will be seenwill be drawn into position as the parts are forced into the shoe orboot,'so that it will stretch the upper or leg portion thereof.

This form of boot tree is best adapted for stretching boots and shoeshaving elastic uppers or leg portions andv for those provided withlaces. In using it with the latter kind the part fwill project throughthe opening in the upper, and the Vshoe may be laced up over the partfto stretch the upper or leg portion. When the tree is to be used forbutton boots I advantageously make the leg portion f of the tree with aremovable back piece or wedge f' provided with a cam face f2 as shown inFig; 4, to engage a cam face f3 on the part f. This wedge, after themain part of the tree has-been introduced and the boot buttoned upon it,is inserted and forced in, in order to tighten or stretch theleg-portion of the boot upon the tree. I sometimes provide the frontportion fwith'india-rubber or other yielding material or I form groovestherein so as to allow a certain amount of flexibility in lthe materialadjacent to the buttons.

Some of the chief advantages of my improved boot-tree are that it can bequickly and easily applied and removed, that it is comparatively light,and that it is extremely portable and very suitable for travelers, therebeing no loose parts to become detached.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-f 1. A boottree comprising a portion for stretching the upper, and toe and heelstretching portions each pivotally connected to said upper stretchingportion, said pivotal connections with the upper stretching portionforming the sole connection between the heel and *toe stretchingportions, substantially as described.

2. A boot tree comprising a portion for stretching theupper, havingdownwardly extending portions,and toe and heel stretching portionspivotally connected to said downwardly extending portions, said pivotalconnections with the upper stretching portion The upper or legstretching portion f has v ICO forming the sole connection between thetoe and heel stretching portions, snbstantially as described.

3. A boot tree conp'ising a portion for stretching the upper having adownwardly projecting narrowed part, heel and toe stretching portionspivoted independently to said` narrowed part, said toe and heel portionshaving each a face for engaging the other, said upper stretching portionhaving shoulders adjacent to its said narrowed part, for engaging theheel and toe portions, when the tree is in operative position,substantially as described.

4. In a boot tree the combination with the portion for stretching theupper formed in two separable parts provided each with an inclined canface, of the toe stretching portion and heel stretching portionindependently pivoted to said upper stretching portion, snbstantially asdescribed.

GEORGE HENRY STEPHENS.

Witnesses:

G. F. REDFERN, JOHN E. BoUsFIELD, Of the fifl'm of G. F. Redfern 6% Go.,4 South Street, F/nsbfm'y, London, Patent Agents.

